On the 6th and 7th of April 2014 the staff, tutors and learner representatives of IkamvaYouth Chesterville branch gathered together to review the purpose of IkamvaYouth as an Organisation, the highlights that IY has seen as it continues to grow from strength to strength and what the branch can do to make sure it (the branch) carries through the vision of the Organisation. Everyone came prepared for what lay ahead as all sat together to voice out what each person expected during the course and the outcomes that they are looking forward to, moving forward, arising from this very significant event. Each person was also given, from the start, an opportunity to contribute to the ground rules that would govern the conduct and relations as the weekend progresses also keeping into account that many of these could be applied in our daily working relations in Chesterville.
This event was especially marked by a collaborative effort to find what each person believed and the ideas they held about IY as a whole. For each segment of the meeting people were divided into smaller groups to discuss certain areas or fields that formed the greater picture of that which being discussed. This allowed for each person as an individual to have a voice and for the bigger group to come up with a united understanding of what was being discussed.
Critical matters which make or break the structure of IY were placed on the table and were under discussion such as the aim of IY, the successes and failures it has encountered, the successes and failures of the branch, the core values of IY, the challenges faced by the branch and how these can be overcome, the portfolios within IY what these have managed to achieve in the previous year and what they have not and what can be done to pursue further success in each portfolio in the current year. This was a highly beneficial process as it allowed people to get answers to questions; to add what they think would assist towards growth and understand what was/is expected of them in their roles.
The programme ended with the election of new Portfolio Heads who with their team had an opportunity to look closely on the plans previously made and also to draw a new plan for the year ahead to guide its function and try to achieve better results contributing to the solidifying of the structure of IY and implementation in and therefore the successes of Chesterville as a branch.
Everyone left with renewed energy ready to take on the year ahead Superhero style!!!
Lloyd Lungu